. could not shut it down. >> for rachel hope, the mental agony began in childhood, when she says she was abused and raped at age four. as a grown-up, the smallest trigger like a familiar smell would bring it all back. >> i would get very extreme stabbing sensations in my body, and then like fixed visuals, like being, for instance, raped. >> mental breakdowns, in the hospital four times, along the way she tried every type of treatment. >> tried rapid movement therapy, fish therapy, yell it out, scream it out. you know? nothing worked. >> and then she discovered an experiment, run by dr. michael midhoffer, a psychiatrist in south carolina. >> this is the study, the place where we meet with people. >> the intense psychotherapy, after intense sessions, after taking a capsule of ecstasy, now listen, on this tape you can hear rachel along with the doctor. >> it felt as if my whole brain was powered up like a christmas tree. all at once. >> sometimes usually people did have some very positive or affirming experiences. but a lot of the times it was revisiting the trauma. it was painful, a di
